A. Field of the Invention
The embodiments of the present invention relate to a safety device for spotting a user of a barbell, and more particularly, the embodiments of the present invention relate to a safety device for spotting a user of a barbell without a need for human intervention.
B. Description of the Prior Art
Numerous innovations for weight lifting related devices have been provided in the prior art that will be described below in chronological order to show advancement in the art, and which is incorporated herein by reference thereto. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, however, they differ from the present invention.
(1) U.S. Pat. No. 4,253,662 to Podolak.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,253,662 issued to Podolak on Mar. 3, 1981 in class 272 and subclass 123 teaches accessory apparatus for use by a person working with weights in a body building program. Under a modern, well accepted theory, muscle growth and strength can best be promoted by “high intensity” exercise, which means the repetitive performance of a resistance movement to the point of momentary muscular failure. In performing a high intensity exercise, as for example in bench pressing, the exerciser may find himself trapped beneath a heavy weight upon reaching the point of muscular failure. In such case, the apparatus eliminates the need for a human partner by providing a power driven mechanical device for lifting the weight. The mechanical device is put into operation by a hand- or foot-operated switch easily accessible to the exerciser.
(2) U.S. Pat. No. 4,949,959 to Stevens.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,949,959 issued to Stevens on Aug. 21, 1990 in class 272 and subclass 123 teaches a barbell assist device characterized by a frame fitted with a horizontal housing for enclosing a motor-driven yoke assembly provided with cables extending around sheaves and downwardly from each end of the housing to support a barbell over a weight bench. A kick plate is located in close proximity to the weight bench and is wired into the motor through electronic circuitry facilitating raising and lowering the barbell responsive to contacting the kick plate. The barbell assist device is useful in “spotting” a barbell containing free weights and in performing weight lifting repetitions and negative stress exercises.
(3) U.S. Pat. No. 4,998,721 to Anders et al.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,998,721 issued to Anders et al. on Mar. 12, 1991 in class 272 and subclass 118 teaches enabling weightlifting athletes to rapidly and efficiently improve concentric-type muscular development. An exercising apparatus having two shafts is provided with motor-driven barbell-tethered cables adapted to supplement the athlete's total physiological energy with motor-assist poundage. The motor-assists are of the unidirectional type to rapidly and efficiently improve eccentric-type muscular development. Shafts-mounted braking system protect a weary athlete from the contingency of a rapidly descending barbell.
(4) U.S. Pat. No. 5,048,826 to Ryan.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,048,826 issued to Ryan on Sep. 17, 1991 in class 272 and subclass 123 teaches a safety apparatus for use with a barbell assembly, which includes a support frame, a pair of cables securable to opposite ends of the barbell assembly, a winch assembly on the support frame for retracting and releasing the cables, a pair of tension sensors for sensing the tension in the cables, a velocity sensor for sensing the speed and direction of movement of at least one of the cables, and a controller for controlling the operation of the winch assembly. The controller is responsive to the tension sensors and the velocity sensor for normally releasing and retracting the cables during a weight lifting routine so that the safety apparatus is normally unnoticeable to a weightlifter. The controller is also responsive to the sensors for detecting an abnormal condition during an exercise routine and is operative in responsive to an abnormal condition for taking control of the barbell assembly to reduce the risk of injury to the weightlifter.
(5) U.S. Pat. No. 5,314,394 to Ronan.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,314,394 issued to Ronan on May 24, 1994 in class 482 and subclass 104 teaches a weightlifting apparatus including a support structure for supporting a weight to be lifted, and a monitoring system for monitoring the position of the weight within a range of movement. The monitoring system includes sensors positioned within the range of movement, an assisting unit for intermittently providing assistance, and a control unit for continuously controlling the assisting unit responsive to the outputs of the sensors. The apparatus is further capable of providing variable amounts of assistance.
(6) U.S. Pat. No. 5,823,921 to Dawson.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,823,921 issued to Dawson on Oct. 20, 1998 in class 482 and subclass 104 teaches a free weight lifting exercise machine having a barbell connected to a cable system operated by a pneumatic motor supported below a lifting bench. An electropneumatic control system operated by a weightlifter using the machine controls the pneumatic motor to apply an exponentially variable lifting force to the cable in response to linear movement of a foot pedal to replicate the function of a “spotter.” The control system automatically applies sufficient lifting force to the cable to remove slack from the cable during the lifting mode and nullifies the slack removing force during the lowering mode of a normal lifting exercise enabling the lifter to perform a free weight lifting exercise free of machine influence.
(7) U.S. Pat. No. 5,989,164 to Kullman et al.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,989,164 issued to Kullman et al. on Nov. 23, 1999 in class 482 and subclass 93 teaches a free standing frame or one carried by a barbell holder mounts a safety apparatus. The safety apparatus has a catch that may be a set of bars, loops, or other arrangements deployed to coact with a bar of the barbell proximate each end of the barbell when an unsafe condition exists and move the barbell out of harms way. The safety apparatus is used with free weights in order to prevent injury to the weight lifter. Such injury may occur when the weight lifter is fatigued or some other emergency does not allow the weight lifter to complete another repetition. In such a case, the barbell and attached weights are automatically moved to a safe position. The catch is attached to a line that in turn is attached to a wind-up device. Prior to attachment to the wind up device, the orientation of the lines are changed from vertical to essentially horizontal by passing over a pulley or other cylindrical member being attached to a motor. The motor that is attached to the wind-up device is activated automatically or manually when danger to the weight lifter is imminent. After activation and removal of the barbell and weight from endangering the weight lifter, the system is reset and ready for use once again.
(8) U.S. Pat. No. 5,989,166 to Capizzo et al.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,989,166 issued to Capizzo et al. on Nov. 23, 1999 in class 482 and subclass 104 teaches an adjustable, portable apparatus for assisting weight lifters to safely perform barbell press exercises to muscular failure and assist in a forced repetition. The apparatus includes two spaced vertically telescoping stanchions with upper ends for allowing adjustment between a minimum length position and a maximum length position of the stanchions. The apparatus further includes a cantilevered member extending horizontally from each of the stanchion's upper ends and a member horizontally interconnecting the cantilevered members allowing adjustment between a minimum width position and a maximum width position of the apparatus. A lifting system is operatively interconnected to the horizontal member, and a barbell allows selectable incremental vertical lifting and lowering distance during exercise. A control system including a safety switch for actuating the lifting system to vertically lift and lower the barbell is provided. A backup safety system is provided.
(9) U.S. Pat. No. 6,283,898 to Polidi.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,283,898 issued to Polidi on Sep. 4, 2001 in class 482 and subclass 104 teaches a mechanical weightlifting machine in which the machine has a support structure with an elevated pivot having a pivot axis and an articulating mechanism engaging the pivot. The articulating mechanism has at least one articulating structure with a lever arm having a depending link connected to the weight being used by the weightlifter. The articulating structure has an adjustment mechanism with a displaceable connection device connected to a counterweight. The adjustment mechanism has apparatus for moving the displaceable connection device relative to the pivot axis and actuation apparatus for actuating the apparatus for moving, in order to vary the effective weight removed from or applied to the weight being used by the weightlifter.
(10) U.S. Pat. No. 6,293,892 to Slawinski et al.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,293,892 issued to Slawinski et al. on Sep. 25, 2001 in class 482 and subclass 104 teaches a self-spotting apparatus for free-weights, which provides two cable assemblies with one end of each cable assembly attached to a free-weight assembly and the opposite end attached to respective linear weight-support assemblies via respective weight-responsive engagement blocks. Guide rods allow vertical motion of the engagement blocks and maintain engagement orientation relative to the support assemblies. The engagement blocks engage the respective support assemblies for static support of the free-weight assembly. Lifting of the substantial weight of the free-weight assembly and activation of disengagement bias is required to disengage the engagement blocks from the respective support assemblies to allow free motion of the free-weight assembly. The apparatus provides self-spotting for barbells and dumbbells.
(11) U.S. Pat. No. 6,537,182 to Slawinski et al.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,537,182 issued to Slawinski et al. on Mar. 25, 2003 in class 482 and subclass 104 teaches a self-spotting apparatus for free-weights, which provides two cable assemblies with one end of each cable assembly attached to a free-weight assembly and the opposite end attached to respective linear weight-support assemblies via respective weight-responsive engagement blocks. Guide rods allow vertical motion of the engagement blocks and maintain engagement orientation relative to the support assemblies. The engagement blocks engage the respective support assemblies for static support of the free-weight assembly. Lifting of the substantial weight of the free-weight assembly and activation of disengagement bias is required to disengage the engagement blocks from the respective support assemblies to allow free motion of the free-weight assembly. The apparatus provides self-spotting for barbells and dumbbells.
(12) U.S. Pat. No. 6,669,607 to Slawinski et al.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,669,607 issued to Slawinski et al. on Dec. 30, 2003 in class 482 and subclass 104 teaches a barbell and dumbbell safety spotting apparatus including a frame, two booms pivotally mounted to and supported by the frame, two cables extending from the booms, two reciprocating drives operably connected to the cables, and a clutch operably connected to the reciprocating drives to provide independent reciprocating movement of the cables. The cables are connectable to a free-weight assembly including a barbell assembly or dumbbell assembly to provide reciprocating vertical movement of the weight assembly in a free-weight fashion. The free-weight assembly includes at least one hand switch for engaging and disengaging the free-weight assembly from the reciprocating drives.
(13) United States Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0092369 to Slawinski et al.
United States Patent Application Publication Number 2004/0092369 published to Slawinski et al. on May 13, 2004 in class 482 and subclass 104 teaches a dumbbell clamp for a barbell and dumbbell safety spotting apparatus, which utilizes two spaced-apart plates, each having a notch for retaining the grip of a dumbbell. A spring-biased lock bar locks the dumbbell grip in the notches during normal use. A clamp bore is provided for secure the dumbbell clamp to a cable by use of a hook. A hand switch receptacle provides an electrical connector from a hand switch on the dumbbell clamp to the safety spotting apparatus.
It is apparent that numerous innovations for weight lifting related devices have been provided in the prior art that are adapted to be used. Furthermore, even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, however, they would not be suitable for the purposes of the embodiments of the present invention as heretofore described.